India, March 27 -- Liquor stores across Noida are offering discounts and special deals like 'buy 1 get 1' to clear out their stock before Uttar Pradesh's new excise policy takes effect on April 1. The policy shift has led to a major change, with 80% of existing licence holders being replaced through an e-lottery system for liquor licence allocation.

According to excise officials, liquor stores in Noida typically sell around 10,000 beer bottles, 30,000 foreign liquor bottles, and 40,000 country liquor bottles daily, generating Rs.3-4 crore in revenue per day. With ongoing discounts, officials anticipate a 30-40% surge in sales this week.

Unlike the past six years, when licences were simply renewed, this year's introduction of the e-lotte...